Roti-Chapati-Flat-Indian-Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour (chapati ka atta)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup water (use as needed)
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour (for rolling the roti)
- 2 tbspa clarified butter or ghee (for buttering the roties)
Method
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Mix flour, salt, and water to make soft dough, adding water as needed. Knead the dough for about one minute on a lightly greased surface to make it smooth and pliable. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and set aside at least ten minutes.
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Divide the dough into four equal parts. Make smooth balls and press flat. Before rolling the roti press both sides of the ball on a dry floured surface to make them easy to roll.
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Roll to form a six-inch-diameter circle. Use just enough dry flour to roll the roti, as too much flour will make them dry. If the dough sticks to the rolling pin or rolling surface, lightly dust the rotis with dry flour.
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Heat an iron or heavy skillet on medium high heat. To test, sprinkle a few drops of water on the skillet. If the water sizzles right away, the skillet is ready. Place the one roti into the skillet. When the roti start to change color and start puffing flip it over. There will be some golden brown spots.
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Flip again after a few seconds. Using a flat spatula, press lightly on the puffed parts of the roti. This will help the roti puff up. Flip the roti again, until it has light golden-brown spots on both sides.
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Repeat the same process for remaining roties. Butter the roti, the side that is facing the skillet.
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Place the rotis in a container lined with a paper towel. Cover the container after each roti.
Recipe Notes
Roti can be kept outside for up to 2 days wrapped in aluminum foil or in a closed container. For later use, roti can be refrigerated for 5-6 days. Re-heat in a skillet
Hi Aunty
Can I use white flour instead? : )
Geena, no it is not going to be roti, it will be okay
Namastè Manjula can the naans once cooked be frozen for later use? thanking you in advance Angelo
yes heat them in the oven or I really do on a skillet
I love the way make chappathi
my roti breaks up when I heat up and lift. What am I doing wrong?
may be dough is too dry and stiff
When we were working in Saudi Arabia we learned to love these Indian breads from the many Indians working there. We brought back an electric Chapati maker that presses the Chapatis flat and cooks them at the same time. This is a great timesaver.
hi, im very sensitive about calories so i was calculating for all 4 rotis and ended up with 260 calories, i was wondering how many grams is it for one roti, since i lost my scale, so i can figure out the calories for one of them
If 4 rotis are 260 kcal, then 1 roti is 65 kcal. You can borrow my scale whenever. 🙂
Hello Manjula,
I cannot digest wheat flour. Can I use bread flour for this recipe? Will butter work for this recipe or is the ghee an absolute for this recipe?
Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes! I recently moved to a small city in Wisconsin that doesn’t have any Indian restaurants so I’m trying to learn how to cook my favorite dishes myself– your website has made it so much easier (and more fun). My roti turned out perfectly! Thank you again, your website is an amazing resource.
Lauren, thank you
Kirti, you used too much baking soda and baking powder, 1/2 kg maida is about 4 cups of maida you needed to use 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder.
Thank you so much for the simple, clear presentation. You are definitely an earth mother–so grounded and full of love.
Karen, Thank you
It worked here in Tanzania
Well Manjula, I tried to use your recipe in making chapati here in Tanzania. It worked fine, and delicious, and soft. Thanks and be blessed
Hello Manjula,
First off thank you very much for this website. Your recipes are a staple in our house.
My Grandmother used to make chapatis everyday. I have great memories of her sitting on the floor with her ingredients and rolling board all around her. When she would roll them out she had a particular technique that I was wondering if you were familiar with. She would roll it out about half way and then brush the surface with a very thin layer of ghee. She would then fold the edges into the center like a triangle and then flip it over and roll it out again half way. She would repeat this 3 – 4 times, brushing the surface with ghee and folding the edges into the center before flipping it over and rolling it out. Finally she would roll it out all the way until it was very thin. Then she would put it on the griddle and cook it. Are you familiar with this process of rolling, brushing with ghee, and folding and what was the purpose of it?
Saleem, your grandmother was treating you, the process will make layered and flaky roti.
This is a wonderful gift, the ghee roti! It is flaky and yummy, like a croissant, but it’s roti. Lucky, you were.
Manjula aunty , can you please tell me what you use to roll your chapatti on. It looks like greaseproof paper but how is it taped down on the work surface?
Thanks.
Kiran, I was using Silicone Baking Mat
Dear Manjula
I love your very much your website,i am learning to cook with you!
I try many time to make roti like yours and it doesn´t puff up. I just don’t know what I am doing wrong ?
I need help.
thank you!!
Coline, knead the dough, it should be soft and smooth but not sticky, try it should work
hello manjula. i tried your recipe by using 1/2 cup flour and had used only 1/2 cup of water, the batter turned into runny paste. added more flour but the dough remained somewhat sticky and very soft. my rotis did not puff up and turned into papad ( iguess due to over cooking) ? please help ! thank you
If you use 1/2 cup of flour you want to use 1/4 cup of water.
If you use 1 cup of flour you would use 1/2 of water.
Lesley, yes approximately
I want to make 60 chapatis for the party. And i want to make first row chapatis at a time and then i want to bake on Gas.. So how can i do this. I tried with plastic inner but it’s not working..Do u have any more suggestions
Aishwari, if you roll all at one time they will be dry, I usually will do 6 at a time that works.
wow! great recipe. Going to give this a go. Thanks for sharing this.
Simon
I just came across this and followed your instructions to make the perfect chapati! I used Golden Temple whole wheat atta flour and they came out almost exactly like my Indian mom would make back in Udaipur. Thank you for posting!
I really love watching and learning from you Manjula. You have taught me many new ways to prepare foods which are of a completely different culture than mine. I would love to see your family actually eat the foods you prepare, so I know how to serve it correctly.
I have only had authentic Indian food once before. When I lived in Ontario Canada. There was a small Indian Takeout Restaurant, I would order a stuffed Roti? It was amazing! This was a super spicy thick curry stew, of eggplant, potato, squash, onion, chickpeas all wrapped up in a fresh made Roti, served good and hot. I was hoping maybe you could tell me what this is called in your country, and if you have a recipe like this to share with us? Maybe it wasn’t authentic, I don’t really know? I just know it was absolutely delicious, and would love to have it again.
Today I am trying making your recipe for Chapati , and I’m going to make your Chole Palak as well. Thank you for all your easy to follow videos. I look forward to trying many of them!
Dear Manjula
I love your website,i am learning to cook with you!
I try to make roti with whole wheat flour but my flour is very dry,i need to add oil to make it smooth.
And it doesn´t puff up like yours.
What am i doing wrong? do you use a special flour? or my flour is bad?
thank you!!
Hi aunty,
which brand of whole wheat flour do you use?As my flour makes rubber kind of rotis.
The video atates to use 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup warm water. That is wrong–the recipe states 1/4 cup warm water. I tried it like the video indicated and ended up with paste.
Judith,
Sorry this was my big blunder.
Thanks For presenting this video. I have made Roti’s on and off for many years always tasty but not always able to get them rise well. I used you method and everyone of them puffed up beautiful.
You seem so sweet, all the best to you and your family over the holiday season and the new year.
Thanks again,
Colleen
Your video presentation is excellent. We don’t get such nice chapathi/phulka in south. Thank you very much for your receipe.
it looks delicious and I will try it today with some beef curry.
Wow awsome recipe.